The power of routines

Now that Fall is in full swing, work gets a little busier and traffic increases, there are benefits to getting back into a routine. First, a routine provides structure and accountability, both of which can improve your chances of implementing healthy habits.  Having to follow a set schedule that includes time for exercise and healthy eating makes it less likely that you’ll miss a workout or be too busy to prepare a healthy meal.  Routines are also great to help you manage stress. When things are organized, life feels more manageable and less overwhelming.

A structured schedule can help create healthy habits. When we repeat behaviors they soon become habits.  Of course, when mapping out your routine, you have to avoid certain traps (like the ones below) that can eventually cause you to go off track. 

Make sure not to:

Prioritize things you don’t care much about. If you fill your day with things that don’t inspire or gratify you, then you’re setting yourself up to burn out. So, be sure you put the things that matter most—taking care of your family, eating healthfully, getting regular exercise—first on your to-do list. Devote an appropriate amount of time to each of these important things, even if that means you have to cut back the amount of time you spend doing other things, whether that be watching TV or participating in community events.

Lose your vision. When you’re juggling a lot of responsibilities (like kids, work, family, etc.), it’s easy to feel like you are living a “to-do list” rather than your best life. To prevent this, remind yourself why you put all these things on your list in the first place. That way, when you take your daughter to school, it won’t just feel like another chore, but rather part of your vision for a happy and connected family. Likewise, going to the gym during lunch or taking that evening jog will not be just another time-consuming task, it will be an active step toward improving your health. Aside from using self-talk to keep yourself focused, you can also hang pictures, join a support group or use the message boards for encouragement, or write down your mission and read it daily.

Overschedule yourself. We get so focused on trying to fit it all in that we forget about taking some down time for play or relaxing. Make sure to set aside at least 20 minutes every day to do something to nurture yourself, like taking a short nap or a nature hike.

Go to extremes. Having a routine is great, but don’t be so regimented that you can’t enjoy spur-of-the moment experiences (like a surprise weekend get-away or an unplanned lunch gathering with friends). Many of us tend to think in terms of black and white—take healthy eating, we’re either on a diet or not. The same thing goes for routines: We’re either following one or we’re not. Remember, it’s OK to let yourself be impulsive from time to time.

For additional support where we focus on healthy behaviors, join my accountability group for daily motivation.  Remember, Real results require time, patience, your consistency and accountability. Making an effort to improve yourself everyday is the goal.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/147417735425442/